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Prototype & Reference Tubas from the Holton Factory Reference Collection at the National Music Museum
May 24, 2014 10:00 AM Sweeney Hall International Tuba-Euphonium Conference at Indiana University Ken Drobnak, D.M.A. Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Holton Factory in Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Holton Short Action Upright (NMM 14,390)
• Specs • Recording bass (lacks bell) • Prototype • Model 106 Mammoth • Serial no. 118057 • 1935 • Catalogs • Sales Records
This document can be downloaded as a pdf or powerpoint at drobnakbrass.com.
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Short Action Valves • Model 131 Specs – Stem height is 10 mm., average tuba Sousaphone today approximately 25 mm.
• Holton advertised these valves as 28% shorter and 26% faster
Drawings from Patent Applications
US Patent 1,457,623 (1923) A. Fairchild
• Specs • Bell diameter: 24 ½ in. (in catalog) • Bore: .754 in. (1st valve branch) • Pitch: BBb • Serial number: 118057 US Patent 1,932,742 (1933) F. Kull
Allen type valve design (J. Lathrop Allen)
• American builder, active 2nd part of 19th century • Rotary valve design • Flattening of pipes to an elliptical shape as they enter the casing • (NMM 13,976) Circular Cornet by Allen & Hall
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Unsigned Experimental BBb Tuba NMM 13,807
Determining the Manufacturer Clues Considerations
• Companies • C.G. Conn • York • H. N. White (King) • Holton • Martin (RMC) • Tuning Slide Lever • Raw brass • Braces, caps, decorations • Valve design • Catalogs
Pictures from Martin Tubas
• NMM 13,794 • 1961 Sousaphone • Model SU 05, BBb • Serial number: 211711 • Holton Reference Collection
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Martin Band Instrument Co.
• To the Holton Factory • Martin plant in Elkhart, IN • Holton Factory Storage • Some instruments came from 3rd floor storage • Martin became part of LeBlanc in 1971
• Catalog picture ca. 1960
Specs NMM 13,807
• Bell diameter: 20 2/16 in. / 510 mm. • Bore: .579 in. / 14.7 mm. (leadpipe – slides stuck) • Pitch: BBb • Weight: 27 lbs. • Serial number: (ca. 1955 from Martin lists) • 194098
What 1950s – 1960s Retail Market?
• Public School – secondary? • Public School – beginners? • College undergraduate? • College graduate? • Professional? • James Gourlay
• Resolution of this instrument’s story. • “An Unsigned Tuba” • Via email: a very similar model with detachable bell was made for the U.S. Navy Band in the 1950s. Custom Order.
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Another Martin Prototype
• NMM 13,830 specs • Tuning slide lever • Serial no. 203640 • ca. 1957 • Bell: 10 in. • Length: 27 – 11/16 in.
Valve pictures NMM 13,830
• Piston valves
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NMM 13,827 Holton Euphonium B101 Leonard Falcone Artist Model
Upright, 4 valves Serial number 521995 1973
Endorsed by Dr. Leonard Falcone, who assisted in its design
Contrabass Bugle (NMM 13,796) in a helical shape (Sousaphone) No serial number Fundamental - GG How dated – Letter to Vito Larry Ramierez (factory foreman) 1 piston valve 1 rotary valve
NMM 13,796 Specs
• Piston valve • lowers pitch perfect fourth • Rotary valve • lowers pitch half step
• Specs • Bell: 19 6/16 in. • Bore: .697 in. (Piston) • Pitch: GG • Weight: 26 lbs.
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A More Standard Bugle
Getzen G Bugle NMM 6,967 (Utley) NMM 13,945
Contrabass Bugle for Ludwig, by Holton (NMM 13,945) • Specs • No signature • Attached tags: • Bugle Contrabass for Ludwig • Experimental, G-D • Pitch • Based on length: C – G • Scooter Pirtle • Experimental time period • 1950s – 1960s • Other possibilities • Bass Baritone Bugle • Interchangeable Rotary slide • C Bugles not in catalogs
Rotary valve (NMM 13,945)
• Spring on interior • Built on the main tuning slide • Design used by several manufacturers • Interchangeable slides were marketed
• Weight • Hold for 12 hours? Note: The instrument could date from as early • Specs as 1958, but not • Bell diameter: 9 15/16 in. / 253 mm. likely sooner. • Bore: .559 in. / 14.2 mm. • Pitch: CC Regardless, Vito • Serial number: 354353 ended bugle production post- Leblanc (1965).
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1963 Ludwig Catalog
Mammoth Revelation Sousaphone
NMM 13,798 Bell spun by Mr. Howard Tess
NMM 13,798 Specs
• Model 130 (pre-1931 version) • Serial No. 91792 • 1926 • Mammoth BBb Holtonphone • Low pitch • Bell diameter: 30 inches • Bore .801 (2nd valve slide) • Hung at entrance to museum in the Holton Factory
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Distal side of bell • Flaking substance • Silver-plated underneath • Spray lacquer? • Bakelite !"#$%&'"#("'&#)'*+(&
Thank you!
• Cleveland Johnson, NMM Director • Margaret Banks, NMM Associate Director & Senior Curator • Janet Cunningham, NWOSU President • Deborah Reeves, NMM Curator of Education & Woodwinds • Josh Calkin, Wayne State College (Nebraska) • Mike Knedler, NWOSU Dean of Arts & Sciences • Dan Perantoni & Kelli Thomas, ITEC 2014 Coordinators For more information, please visit the museum’s website at orgs.usd.edu/nmm or Dr. Drobnak’s website at drobnakbrass.com
Contact information: Ken Drobnak: [email protected] or [email protected] National Music Museum: [email protected]
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